MacRumors

Apple has an intriguing hidden feature for its Apple Vision Pro spatial computer in the first developer beta of visionOS. The feature, termed "Travel Mode," is specifically aimed at enhancing the user experience while on board an airplane.

Given that the cabin of an airplane with its enclosed space and unique environmental factors can be challenging for VR devices, Travel Mode seems to be Apple's solution for ensuring a smoother experience.

Travel Mode: The Breakdown

Within the first developer beta for visionOS, we've discovered several text strings which shed light on the functionality of this new feature. The key prompts include:

• Are you on an airplane?
• If you're on an airplane, you'll need to keep Travel Mode on to continue using your ‌Apple Vision Pro‌.
• Remain stationary in Travel Mode.
• Remain stationary while this mode turns off.
• Some awareness features will be off.
• The current fit may reduce gaze accuracy.
• Turn on Travel Mode when you're on an airplane to continue using your ‌Apple Vision Pro‌.
• Your representation is unavailable while Travel Mode is on.

From these text strings, it is apparent that Travel Mode is designed to adapt the functionality of ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ for the specific constraints of an airplane cabin.

Disabled Awareness Features

One of the text strings indicates that "some awareness features will be off." This suggests that certain sensors and features which depend on spatial awareness might be turned off or scaled down. In an airplane, the proximity to other passengers and limited space could potentially cause these features to behave erratically or inaccurately. By disabling or limiting them, Travel Mode may help ensure that the user does not have an unpleasant or disrupted VR experience.

Digital Personas Unavailable

The phrase "Your representation is unavailable while Travel Mode is on" implies that Digital Personas might not be available in this mode. The exact reason is not clear, but it might be connected to the constrained space and the disabled awareness features, which might affect the accuracy and representation of avatars.

Gaze Accuracy Reduction

The text also mentions that "The current fit may reduce gaze accuracy." This could mean that due to the position you might take when seated in an airplane, the headset might not sit as precisely as usual, affecting gaze tracking. However, Travel Mode seems to acknowledge this and potentially makes adjustments to compensate for it.

Staying Stationary

Another interesting prompt is "Remain stationary in Travel Mode." This might be a safety measure to ensure that users do not inadvertently move around or make large gestures while on a plane, which could be dangerous or disturbing to fellow passengers.

Wrap-Up

Apple's Travel Mode for the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ is an example of thoughtful innovation, adapting the device to work efficiently in different environments. This feature demonstrates Apple's attention to detail and commitment to ensuring a seamless experience for its users regardless of the circumstances.

As Travel Mode is still in beta, we expect further refinements and potentially more features before it's rolled out to the general public. Stay tuned for more updates as we keep an eye on the evolution of ‌Apple Vision Pro‌'s Travel Mode.

Amazon today has a few deals on the Apple Watch Series 8, including all-time low prices on both 41mm and 45mm GPS models. All of the watches mentioned below are in stock and ready to ship, with delivery dates around June 24 in most cases.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8, you can get this model for $329.00, down from $399.00. This one is available in Midnight, Silver, and Starlight, and all three colors have both S/M and M/L bands at this record low price.

Amazon also has the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 on sale for $359.00, down from $429.00. All three of the same colors are on sale, including Midnight, Silver, and Starlight. You'll also find both S/M and M/L bands available in each color.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The Apple Vision Pro headset's visionOS operating system includes a feature called "Visual Search," which sounds like it is similar to the Visual Look Up feature on the iPhone and the iPad.

With Visual Search, users can use the Vision Pro headset to get information about an item, detect and interact with text in the world around them, copy and paste printed text from the real world into apps, translate text between 17 different languages, and more.

Real world text that includes contact information, webpages, and unit conversions and similar information can be acted upon in visionOS. So, for example, if a printed handout has a website link in it, you can scan the link with the Vision Pro, opening up a Safari window to view the website. Or, if a recipe calls for grams and you need ounces, you can convert using the headset.

Real-time text translation will also be useful for traveling and other instances when you might want to quickly translate what you're seeing in the real world. The ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ headset will be able to automatically detect text and documents, similar to how the ‌iPhone‌ can detect text in photos and allow it to be interacted with.

The Visual Search function was found in visionOS by Steve Moser. visionOS can be accessed through the latest Xcode beta at the moment, as Apple released the first version of the software earlier today.

With the Vision Pro headset, there is an option to activate an Environment that allows you to shut out the world around you. While Apple has mentioned Mount Hood as an Environment you can visit and use as a backdrop, there are several others.

Apple today released the first version of visionOS, which can be experienced using the latest Xcode beta, and the visionOS update has given us some insight into new visionOS features. Here are the available environments right now:

• Haleakalā
• Yosemite
• Sky
• Joshua Tree
• Lake Vrangla
• Mount Hood
• The Moon
• Beach
• White Sands
• Winter Light
• Fall Light
• Summer Light
• Spring Light

Vision Pro users will be able to enter a virtual environment by turning the Digital Crown to shut out the real world. Environments can be used as a background for watching movies, using apps, making calls, and more.

(Thanks, Steve Moser!)

Apple today released the second beta of upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates to developers for testing purposes, and like all new betas for a major point update, the software includes a number of small tweaks and changes as Apple refines the operating systems ahead of launch. We've aggregated everything new that we've found in the second beta so far.

Update Screen

This is technically a feature from the first beta, but the update screen now shows more information about beta software. It includes details about joining a beta program and backing up before you install beta software.

App Tips

Various Apple-designed apps are utilizing a tips feature that provides details on available functionality. In the Messages app, for example, there's a tip about sending a message by talking instead of typing with Siri.

When AirDropping, there's a suggestion to hold the phone near another phone if you don't see people nearby.

Location Settings

In the Systems Settings section of the Location privacy options, there is a new "MicroLocation" option. Apple does not explain what this is. App Clips Location Confirmation has disappeared as an option, as has Standby Clock Faces.

Messages Check In

In the Messages section of the Settings app, Apple has changed the wording of the data options for the Check-In feature. Options are now "Full" and "Limited," rather than "Current location only" and "All locations visited.

Limited data is described as current location and details about battery and network signal, while Full includes all limited data plus route traveled and location of last iPhone unlock and Apple Watch removal.

Music App

Activating Crossfade for Apple Music in the Settings app no longer crashes the Settings app, plus there is a customizable length for the Crossfade feature.

StandBy

There's now an option to toggle off notifications when in StandBy mode. Notifications classified as "Critical" will be delivered even when the feature is off.

Apple Music Widgets

Some of the ‌Apple Music‌ widgets are now available in different size options.

Other New Features

Find something that we didn't mention here? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple today released a second Studio Display 17 firmware beta, with the update coming two weeks after the release of the first beta.

All Studio Display models are able to receive firmware updates, but this firmware update is limited to Macs that are running the new macOS Sonoma operating system at the current time. Studio Display owners running macOS Sonoma can go to System Settings > Software Update to install the firmware, and a connection to a Mac is required to update the Studio Display's software.

Apple has not provided details on what's included in the firmware update and no new features were found by those running the betas.

Apple today introduced the first version of the visionOS software, debuting the visionOS 1.0 Developer Beta. The introduction of the beta comes as Apple has announced the launch of the visionOS software development kit (SDK) that will allow third-party developers to build apps for the Vision Pro headset.

The SDK can be accessed through Xcode 15 beta 2, and while developers do not have access to the Vision Pro headset itself as of yet, Apple will begin allowing testing starting next month.

Apple in July plans to open developer labs in select countries around the world, and some developers will be able to apply for development kits to test apps directly on Vision Pro.

While visionOS 1.0 can't be downloaded on headsets except by Apple employees, the software may give us hints of unannounced functionality the device is capable of.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the release of the first betas following the WWDC keynote event.

Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

iOS 17 is a major update that introduces a customized look for each person that calls, with the person who places the call able to customize their look. Live voicemails let you see a transcript of a message someone is leaving in real time so you can choose to pick up the phone if you want, and voice messages people send in iMessage are now transcribed into text. You can also record a video or audio message when someone misses your FaceTime call, and ‌FaceTime‌ works on the Apple TV through Continuity functionality.

In Messages, apps have been moved to a new tucked-away interface for a cleaner look, and there is a new Check In feature that is designed to let your friends and family keep an eye on you when you're traveling. Check In automatically notifies friends or family members when you arrive at a destination, such as home. Locations can also now be shared directly from the Messages app.

In a group chat, there's a catch-up arrow so you can see the first message you haven't seen in a conversation, and with search filters, you can more easily find what you're looking for. Stickers have been overhauled, and all emoji are now stickers, living alongside sticker packs and Memoji. Using the remove from background feature in iOS 17, you can turn the subject from any image into a sticker.

With StandBy, an iPhone placed horizontally turns into a little home hub that displays information like the calendar, time, home controls, and more, and Live Activities can be displayed in full screen too.

Widgets on the Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like check off an item on a to-do list or turn off the lights without having to open an app. AirDrop has been improved and there's a NameDrop function for sharing contacts quickly, plus you can hold two iPhones together to start a SharePlay session. SharePlay also now works with CarPlay so passengers can play their music in the car too.

Other new features include a journaling app coming later this year, AirPlay in select hotel rooms, improvements to AirPods Pro 2 thanks to a new Adaptive Audio feature, offline Maps, Siri that does not require the "Hey" activation, and improvements to search and spotlight.

While today's beta is limited to developers, Apple will be providing a public beta later this summer.

Apple today seeded the second beta of the recently announced macOS 14 Sonoma update to developers for testing purposes. The beta comes two weeks after the launch of the first beta that came out following the June 5 WWDC keynote event. While the beta is limited to developers at this time, Apple plans to provide a public beta later this summer.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

macOS Sonoma introduces new Apple TV-like screen savers that also serve as wallpapers after you log in, plus it moves widgets to the desktop. You can use the new widget gallery to choose from a range of widgets, and then drag them to your Mac's desktop.

Widgets can be arranged in any way that's useful, and when you're using an app, they are designed to fade into the background so they're less distracting. ‌Widgets‌ are more interactive than before, so you can use them to do things like play music, turn off the lights in your home, and more. Through Continuity, your iPhone's widgets can also show up on your Mac's desktop.

Video conferencing has improved with a new Presenter Overlay view that shows your desktop or project in new ways, plus Safari now supports web apps for the Dock and the option to create Profiles so you can separate personal browsing from work browsing.

Other new features include improved search that's faster and more responsive, password and passkey sharing, a revamped stickers interface for the Messages app, PDF integration in notes that makes it easier than ever to manage PDFs, and more.

macOS Sonoma will be in beta testing for several months, with a public release for the fall.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 10 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming two weeks after the beta was first introduced following the June 5 WWDC keynote event.

To install the watchOS 10 update, developers will need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 10 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.

Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 10 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.

watchOS 10 adds a whole new widget-focused interface. You can access a widget stack from any watch face using the Digital Crown, swiping through them to get to relevant information. Control Center can be activated from any app by pressing the side button, and these new quick access controls are meant to let you use watch faces that support less information while still putting everything you need at your fingertips.

There are new Palette and Snoopy watch faces, updates to Cycling and Hiking workouts, and mental health integrations. Users can log their state of mind and mood using the Apple Watch, with the device providing insights into mental health over time.

watchOS 10 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple will offer a public beta later this summer, with an official release to follow this fall.

Apple has announced that the visionOS software development kit (SDK) which will allow third-party developer to build apps for the upcoming Vision Pro headset is now available via Xcode 15 beta 2. The launch comes after Apple announced at WWDC that the SDK would be available later this month.

Starting today, Apple’s global community of developers will be able to create an entirely new class of spatial computing apps that take full advantage of the infinite canvas in Vision Pro and seamlessly blend digital content with the physical world to enable extraordinary new experiences. With the visionOS SDK, developers can utilize the powerful and unique capabilities of Vision Pro and visionOS to design brand-new app experiences across a variety of categories including productivity, design, gaming, and more.

Apple says it will open developer labs next month in Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo to provide developers with hands-on experience on Vision Pro hardware and support for developing their apps.

Applications for Apple Vision Pro developer kits will also be accepted starting next month, while developers of 3D apps and games based on Unity will also be able to port their apps to ‌Apple Vision Pro‌.

Apple is introduced new functionality for almost every iPhone app and feature with iOS 17, and CarPlay hasn't been left out. We haven't seen the total overhaul of ‌CarPlay‌ that Apple promised last year as of yet, but there are a handful of new features that were added in iOS 17.

SharePlay for the Music App

SharePlay works with the Apple Music app in ‌CarPlay‌, which means everyone in the car, passengers included, can contribute to an ‌Apple Music‌ playlist.

As long as the car owner has an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription and initiates a SharePlay session from ‌CarPlay‌, other people in the car can choose music to play. Each person can scan a QR code generated by the main user to get access to the playlist to add songs to the in-car ‌Apple Music‌ queue.

Only the person who starts the SharePlay session has to have an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription. Everyone else can use ‌Apple Music‌ to contribute without having to pay.

EV Charging Station Improvements

If you have an electric vehicle, the Apple Maps app can provide real-time charging availability for the charging networks that are compatible with your car. The update should make it easier for EV owners to locate nearby charging stations on a trip.

Messages Updates

The Messages app in ‌CarPlay‌ has a revamped interface that makes it easier to quickly reply and re-read a message without taking too much attention away from the road.

Wallpaper

iOS 17 includes new wallpaper options, which can be expanded to the ‌CarPlay‌ interface.

The All-New CarPlay Experience

Apple at WWDC 2022 previewed the next-generation version of ‌CarPlay‌, which will offer deeper integration with vehicles in the future. Apple did not talk about the new ‌CarPlay‌ experience at WWDC 2023, but the company did say in 2022 that the first cars with the updated technology will be coming in late 2023.

‌CarPlay‌ will support multiple displays, showing up across all of the displays in a vehicle, including the instrument cluster. Apple will be able to offer a consistent experience throughout the car, and ‌CarPlay‌ will integrate with the speedometer, tachometer, odometer, fuel gauge, and more.

The vehicle's climate controls will also be accessible through ‌CarPlay‌ in upcoming vehicles, letting users adjust temperature and activate other in-car climate features through the ‌CarPlay‌ interface.

With the revamped ‌CarPlay‌ experience slated for a 2023 launch, we can likely expect to see additional ‌CarPlay‌ features coming in future iOS 17 updates. Car brands that will support next-generation ‌CarPlay‌ include Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, and Volvo.

Read More

More information on all of the new features in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

Starting with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, Apple is making Communication Safety available worldwide. The previously opt-in feature will now be turned on by default for children under the age of 13 who are signed in to their Apple ID and part of a Family Sharing group. Parents can turn it off in the Settings app under Screen Time.

Communication Safety first launched in the U.S. with iOS 15.2 in December 2021, and has since expanded to Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K. With the software updates coming later this year, Apple is making the feature available globally.

Communication Safety is designed to warn children when receiving or sending photos that contain nudity in the Messages app. Apple is expanding the feature on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma to cover video content, and it will also work for AirDrop content, FaceTime video messages, and Contact Posters in the Phone app.

When the feature is enabled, photos and videos containing nudity are automatically blurred in supported apps, and the child will be warned about viewing sensitive content. The warning also provides children with ways to get help. Apple is making a new API available that will allow developers to support Communication Safety in their App Store apps.

Apple says Communication Safety uses on-device processing to detect photos and videos containing nudity, ensuring that Apple and third parties cannot access the content, and that end-to-end encryption is preserved in the Messages app.

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma will be released later this year. The updates are currently available in beta for users with an Apple developer account.

Google today launched a humorous "BestPhonesForever" ad campaign that pits the latest Pixel smartphones against the iPhone, painting the ‌iPhone‌ as an old, outdated phone that was once great, but can no longer keep up with the younger smartphones (via 9to5Google).

There are a series of five ads. In "Plateau," the ‌iPhone‌ laments being 14 years old and unable to keep up with Pixel features like 30x zoom, astrophotography, and AI. The Pixel smartphone comforts the ‌iPhone‌ by mentioning the ‌iPhone‌'s blue bubbles.

"The bubbles! The bubbles! Is all I have to show for all my years on earth the color of a bubble? I mean, millions of people have waited in line for me," bemoans the ‌iPhone‌. Eventually, the ‌iPhone‌ runs out of battery, and the Pixel phone is left calling for a charger. "Ah quick! Somebody get a Lightning charger!"

In another ad, the two smartphones are star gazing and the ‌iPhone‌ is lamenting that it isn't able to see the stars like the Pixel can with its astrophotography mode, while a third ad makes fun of Apple's privacy stance on public WiFi.

"I'm freaking out! Quick, get off the public Wi-Fi," says the ‌iPhone‌ dramatically. "There are... hackers, in this place." The Pixel smartphone reassures the ‌iPhone‌ that the Pixel has a built-in VPN that keeps it safe, a function not available on the ‌iPhone‌.

In a fourth spot, the pixel smartphone suggests shooting some videos before noticing that the ‌iPhone‌ has a dead battery. The Pixel uses Qi-based charging to charge up the ‌iPhone‌ on the fly. A final video sees the ‌iPhone‌ jealously recounting all of the Pixel's features. The Pixel shows off its latest feature, folding technology, and the ‌iPhone‌ faints in shock. "What year is it? Do we have flying cars yet?" asks the ‌iPhone‌.

Google is using the "BestPhonesForever" tag with the new campaign, which is highlighting the Pixel Fold. Google came out with the Pixel Fold back in May, with the smartphone priced at $1,800. Apple has not yet come out with a foldable smartphone and there is no word on when the company plans to do so.

Amazon today has Apple's 9th generation 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $249.99 in both Silver and Space Gray, down from $329.00. You'll need to add the iPad to your cart and head to checkout in order to see the final sale price.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

At $79 off, this is a match of the all-time low price on this version of the 2021 iPad. The last time we tracked this deal was in March, so if you've been waiting to buy the 9th gen iPad, now is definitely a great time.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Apple today released iOS 16.5.1, iPadOS 16.5.1, macOS 13.4.1, and watchOS 9.5.2 updates, with the software adding security improvements. If you haven't updated yet, you should as soon as you can as these updates address actively exploited vulnerabilities.

According to Apple's security support document, there are fixes for two vulnerabilities that may have been used by hackers and bad actors for system attacks.

A kernel vulnerability that can result in arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges was addressed with improved input validation for an integer overflow. Apple says that it is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7, so you are likely safe if you've been running iOS 16.

There is also a WebKit vulnerability that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code, and Apple says that it has received a report that the issue may have been actively exploited.

You should update your devices running iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and watchOS 9. If you have an older device, Apple has also released iOS 15.7.7, iPadOS 15.7.7, watchOS 8.8.1, macOS 11.7.8, and macOS 12.6.7.

Apple today released macOS Ventura 13.4, a minor update for the macOS Ventura operating system that was released last October. macOS Ventura 13.4.1 comes more than a month after the launch of macOS Ventura 13.4.

The ‌‌‌‌macOS Ventura‌‌‌‌ 13.4.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.

According to Apple's release notes, the update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users. Apple has also released macOS 11.7.8 and macOS 12.6.7 security updates for those who are unable to run Ventura.